Electrical receptacle.



J. S. GROSSLEY.

ELECTRICAL BEGEPTAGLB.

uruoulon rILnD mv. 1a, 190s. l

Patented June 13. 1911.'

All@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES S. CROSSLEY, OF SOLVAY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO PASS AND SEYMOUR,INC.,

0F SOLVAY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 13, 1911.

I Application filed November 18, 1909. Serial No. 528,797.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES S. CRossLEY, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Solvay, countyof Onondaga, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Im rovements in Electrical Receptacles,of whlch the following is a specification.

This invention relates to receptacles for incandescent lamps, plugs andother similar electrical devices, and its object is to provide anappliance of the above type which is so constructed that the terminalsmay be operated, to connect and disconnect them with line wires, fromthe front of the device and without removing the same from the outletbox or other wire covering.

The invention will be described in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a section through an outlet box showin a receptacleembodying one form of the invention in position; Fig. 2 is a section onthe line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 of Fig. 1; Fig.4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. l but showing the inventionembodied in another form of base.

Referring to the drawing, 10 indicates an g outlet box of ordinaryconstruction, 11 conduits communicating with the outlet box and 12 theline wires in the conduit.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, R indicates the receptac e whichcomprises a base 13 of insulating material such as porcelain and a topor cap 14 of like material` To the base is suitably connected the usualmetal socket 15 which is adapted to receive a lamp or plug and the topor cap 14 is attached to the base, as shown, by screwing it onto theouter surface of the socket. One of the hooked terminals 16 is suitablyconnected with the socket 15, as shown in Fig. 2, and the other terminal16 is connected with the usual central contact 17. The terminals areprovided with bindin screws 18 for securing the line wires an connectingthem suitably with the terminals. As shown the receptacle is supportedcentrally in the outlet box by means of a plate 19 which is secured tothe box and the inner margin of which is clamped between the base 13 andthe top 14 of the receptacle." The plate 19 forms an ornamental coveringfor the outlet box and may be of any suitable design.

As heretofore constructed, it has been necessary to remove receptaclesfrom the outlet boxes or other foundations to which they are secured inorder to connect or disconnect the line wires and this necessarilyrequired considerable slack in the wires, as the wires had to be drawnout of the box with the receptacle. This excess of wire which had to becoiled or doubled loosely in the box was objectionable as adding to therisk of short circuits, and furthermore there was danger of the wiremennot leaving sufficient wire to permit of removing the receptacle, inwhich case the wires had to be broken or unduly strained.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a receptaclewhich may be connected and disconnected to the line wires in an outletbox or the like without drawing the wires out of the box and whichpermits of the adjustment of the binding screws and the connection ordisconnection of the wires without disconnecting or disturbing thereceptacle itself with relation to the box or base on which it ismounted.

The foregoing object is accomplished, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3inclusive, by providing openings 20 in the bases 13 and corresponding orregistering openings in the threaded sockets 15 through which a screwdriver may be passed to manipulate the binding screws, as indicated inFig. 3, in which a screw driver blade is shown in dotted lines.

These openings also permit of the passage of a hook, pliers or otherinstrument, with which to place the wires under the binding screws ordislodge them from such position. It will be' evident from an inspectionof the drawing that the line wires may be readily connected ordisconnected with the terminals without disturbing any part of thereceptacle. The receptacle 1s also arranged for easy connection topassing or through line wires as distingulshed from ended wires. It willalso be evident that the invention may be embodied in many differentforms or designs of receptacles. I have illustrated one modification,which will now be described.

Referring to Fig. 4.-, R indicates a receptacle having a broadinsulating base 21 adapted to be directly connected to the outlet box 10by means of screws 22. The terminals 16 are connected respectively tothe socket 15 and the central contact V17 in any suitable manner andthey are provided with the usual binding screws 18. In this form of theinvention I provide openings 23 through the base 21 which are situateddirectly over the binding screws and exterior to the socket 15 andthrough these openings the binding screws and the wires are readilyaccessible. If desired the socket 15 may be cut away to also provide foraccess to the screws from its interior, but in Fig. 2 I have shown alayer of insulatin material 24 surrounding the socket and ave especiallyprovided for access to the screws through the outer openings 23, asindicated by the screw driver blade, shown in dotted lines. Thereceptacle shown in Fig. 4 is provided with an ornamental cap plate 25which is suitably connected to the base and which must be removed whenit is desired to manipulate the terminals. It will be understood thatthis cap or cover is removably held in place by screws or some othersuitable way.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a receptacle,the combination with an insulating base adapted for insertion in anoutlet box or suitable support, of terminals located rearwardly on saidbase and rovided with means operable from the ront of the receptacle forclamping line wires to said terminals, said base being provided withrecesses in alinement with said clamping means, whereby said clampingmeans may be operated from the front of said' receptacle to clamp andrelease the wires from said terminals leaving the base undisturbed.

2. In a receptacle, the combination with an insulating base, ofterminals thereon, means operable from the front of the receptacle forclamping wires to said terminals, said base being provided with recessesin alinement with said clamping means and extending through the walls ofsaid base land open to the front face of the receptacle,

whereby said clamping means may be operated; from the front of thereceptacle to clam and release the wires from said termina s.

3. In a receptacle, the combination with an insulating base, of contactpieces in said base, including a. metal socket, terminals con nected tosaid pieces and located rearwardly of the socket, means operable fromthe front of the receptacle for clamping conducting wires to saidterminals, and means whereby said clamping means may be operated by atool inserted through the socket to clamp and release the wires fromsaid terminals.

4. In a receptacle, the combination with an insulating base, of contactpieces in said base, including a metal socket, terminals connected tosaid pieces and located at the rear of the receptacle, and meansoperable from the 'front of the receptacle for clamping conducting wiresto said terminals, said base being rovided with recessed portionswhereby said clamping means may be operated by a tool inserted throughthe socket to clamp and release the wires from said terminals.

5. In a receptacle, the combination with an insulating base, of contactpieces in said base including a metal socket, hooked terminals connectedto said pieces and located in rear of the front of the base, meansoperable from the front of the receptacle for clamping conducting wiresto said terminals, and means whereby said clamping means may be operatedby a tool inserted through the socket to clamp and release the wiresfrom said terminals, said terminals being located within the line of theo-utside contour of the base.

6. The combination with an outlet bgg;A or suitable support, of agegcgpaclg andmd means for securing the same to sal Wbox or support, thesaid receptacle being provided with terminals adapted for connection toline wires and being provided with openings whereby the said terminalsmay be manipulated from the front of the receptacle and withoutdisconnecting the same from the outletbox or support.

7. The c mbination with an outlet box or other suitable support, of areceptacle adapted thereto, and means for securing the receptacle uponthe front of the box'or support, said receptacle comprising a socket, abase and terminals on the base in rear of the socket, and said basebeing provided with openings registering with the terminals whereby theterminals may be manipulated for connecting and disconnecting the linewires wit-hout disturbing the relation of the receptacle to the outletbox or other support.

8. The combination with an outlet box or other suitable support, of areceptacle adapted thereto, and means for securing the receptacle uponthe front of the box or support, said receptacle comprising a socket, abase and terminals on the base in rear of the socket, and said base andsocket being provided with openings registering with thev terminalswhereby the terminals may be manipulated for connecting anddisconnecting the line wires without disturbing the relation of thereceptacle to the outlet box or other support.

9. The combination with anwoutletwbgx, 0f arecertaslaadapted to attachedt0 Said '50X aridtasese.theirestthere@ an insulating base in saidreceptacle, terminals mounted on said base and adapted for connection toline wires within the box, and openings in the receptacle whereby theterminals may be manipulated for connecting and disconnecting the linewires by an instrument passed into the receptacle from the front thereofand Without disturbing the relation of the receptacle to the outlet box.10. In a reroetale the combination With an insulating base, of7 contactpieces thereon= Atermina,ls connected to said pieces and 1ocated in rearof the front of the base, and means operable from the front of thereceptacle for clamping conducting Wires to said terminals, said basebeing provided With openings in alinement with said clamping JAMES S.CROSSLEY.

Witnesses:

B. E. SALISBURY, W. B. HUDSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

v Washington, D. C.

